No Escape
by storyspinners
Summary: The past can be a dangerous thing. He can't outrun it. Can't get away from it. For Jasper, the past holds everything and nothing, but he'll never be rid of it.


Authors Note: We don't own Twilight, or any of the other books. But just think how awesome it would have been, if Jasper was the main character.

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"Check," Jasper said quietly, not taking his eyes off the chess board. He was lying on the living room floor across from Alice, intently focused on the game in front of him. Emmett was yelling loudly from nearby as Rosalie beat him at a video game… again.

"Emmett," Esme's soft, musical voice floated in from the kitchen, where she was cooking a fairly large dinner for a certain werewolf friend of theirs, "You'll wake Nessie."

Emmett remained silent for a moment as he looked at the ceiling, and then over to where Bella was sitting on the couch cuddled next to Edward. Bella shot him a look that said _you wake her up, and _you'll _have to deal with it. _

Jasper focused again on the chess board as Alice giggled softly. Jasper sighed, immediately dropping his head to the floor with a muffled 'thud'

"Check mate," Alice chirped.

Alice always found a way to beat him, but whether it was because of her visions or the fact that she was just naturally good at chess, he couldn't tell.

"Aw don't be too disappointed Jazz," Alice giggled again, trying to reassure him, "I saw that move two plays ago."

Jasper mumbled something incoherently and glared up at her, just in time to see Alice's eyes fade and her expression grow blank.

Jasper sat up at Alice's side in a second, holding her hand gently, as she flinched at something in her vision. Edward arose from his place on the couch and came to stand next to them.

_What is it Edward? _Jasper thought desperately, looking at his brother. But Edward just shook his head, intently focused on the thoughts and images racing through Alice's mind.

Esme and Carlisle soon entered, concern etched on their faces. The entire house seemed to hold its breath and Jasper reflexively sent out a wave of calm to smother the rising tension. What could possibly be happening that neither of them could tell the rest of the family?

Edward started pacing around the living room, pinching the bridge of his nose. Bella and Rosalie followed him with their eyes. No one attempted to speak or ask questions before they were ready to give answers.

Alice emerged from her vision and looked Jasper directly in the eyes; the look he saw there turned his stomach in painful knots.

"Vampires…" Alice explained with a solemn voice, "They were in the forest not far from the house, and the girl…" her voice faltered and she paused, looking for Edward to finish.

"We should hurry," Edward said quietly. He exchanged a look with Carlisle before finishing, "They'll be here soon."

* * * *

Shades of brown and green melted together as they ran through the forest. His family shifted through every emotion imaginable, since Alice had the vision almost an hour ago, but the most prominent emotion was fear. Fear for the little girl and her imminent fate, fear for their other family members, and fear for the town of Forks if they couldn't stop these new intruders. All of them feared for some reason, but Carlisle remained unusually calm, even for him.

Wind rustled the trees and whipped at Jasper's hair. Esme had stayed behind, watching over Nessie and the house. Edwards's voice called over any other sound around them, leading them on.

Alice let out a gasp of horror as they all stopped in a small clearing. Four unknown vampires surrounded a very young, dark-haired girl. The largest, most fierce-looking vampire let out a long ghostly hiss as he dropped the child's lifeless body to the ground.

The intoxicating smell of blood flooded Jasper's body, paralyzing him to the spot. The lure of blood was enough to make him want to attach the girl himself, but what was worse, experiencing the terror, and horror of the little girl he wanted so desperately to destroy.

The other vampires squared off to the new arrivals. Carlisle opened his mouth to speak, to tell them they are not welcome in this area, and to leave at once before more people get hurt. But these vampires were obviously not the negotiating type. Baring their blood-stained teeth, the four unknown vampires lunged at their opponents.

His family acted before he had the chance to think, taking out the new vampires easier then they originally thought possible. Bella and Alice ran to the little girl's side as Emmett clashed thunderously with the larger vampire. Jasper hesitated for a fraction of a second before quickly joining in the fight. Odds were in their favor as three of them went down, the fourth vampire retreating and disappearing farther into the woods.

Edward meant to chase after the fleeing vampire, but Carlisle caught him by the shoulder saying sternly, "No. There's no time." He turned and rushed back over to where Bella and Alice knelt, waiting.

Jasper's attention returned to the little girl, surrounded by the watching family as Carlisle struggled to save her. He didn't dare move any closer, his senses and powers screaming at him from all different directions.

Thick, red blood laced the ground around the girl, soaking into her once clean clothes. Jasper felt disgusted with himself, because that blood, her blood smelled _so_ good. So tempting and inviting and he despised the excitement he got out of seeing it. Her heart was barely beating now, her breaths raking in, between shallow gasps.

It was then that the girl locked eyes with him for only a moment.

The strength of her emotions was dimmed, fading away as the life slipped from her body, but Jasper felt them just as clearly as he would anyone else. Her frightened eyes held nothing against the shear terror in her heart. Her misery and repulsion at the sickly smell surrounding her pooling blood and broken body. But most of all, her pain, her aching desperation to cling to this world and knowing that she would never get the chance.

Jasper saw and felt and experienced every one of her last emotions, her eyes screaming at him to make the hurt go away, before fading completely.

The reaction came at once, at the very moment that her feelings were sliced off to leave nothing but emptiness behind, and Jasper _knew_ the little girl was dead. He felt like the air was forced out of his body, and he staggered backward slightly. He wasn't even sure if vampires could throw up, but it certainly felt like he would.

Her pain, her fear, mixed with his desire for that blood, his joy at the smell of it…

Time seemed to stand still, the movements around him just blurs of color morphing into one. The sudden memory of another life, felt like a tidal wave crashing down on him, with all the force in the world.

_* * * *_

_The room was silent, crackling flames glowing in the dark fireplace. It was the only source of light in an otherwise pitch black room, but it gave no warmth. Instead it merely highlighted the deep surrounding shadows, mocking those who had been summoned to its sinister interior. _

_Jasper stood waiting in the center of the room. He had spoken out of turn. Again. This time, though, he had refused to use his powers to subdue a fresh wave of newborns. Had fought with one of the older vampires, and thus found himself before _her_._

_Maria._

_A stunningly beautiful woman emerged from the shadows, as if she had been born among them. Her skin resembled flawlessly shinned porcelain, her hair kept perfect not a single strand out of place. She wore black and scarlet red today, the rich cloth flowing behind her as she stepped forward, eyes staring at Jasper._

_Her beauty was strange somehow. Concealing and with an aura of menace behind that blood red smile. But then again, maybe it was simply because Jasper knew her for what she truly was._

_His arguments had gone unnoticed; his threats unheeded. Maria had skillfully roped him back into her clutches, forcing her will over his._

_As Maria glided closer she said in and eerie, melodious voice, "What would you do without me Jasper?"_

_Jasper didn't answer her, knowing that whatever he said would simply be ignored._

_Maria began circling the young vampire as she continued to coo at him in that strange voice of hers. "You have nothing. No family. Nowhere to go," she said, her voice never rising above a calm whisper, "I have given you a purpose, Jasper. You would be nothing without me."_

"_You're wrong."_

_Maria laughed lightly. "You cannot change who and what you are. Your abilities make you unique."_

_Jasper flinched slightly at her words. His ability to sense and influence other's emotions never seemed to reach as strongly toward Maria, causing him to constantly wonder what type of mood she was really in. _

_Other vampires, and even humans, were a different story. He hated the life he led; if you could even call it a life with violence and death at every turn. There just had to be something else out there for someone like him. Anything, but this._

_But he knew, Maria would never let him go._

_As she moved behind him, Maria let her hand run across Jasper's shoulders. He shuddered against her touch, wanting so desperately to put distance between himself and those cold, unforgiving eyes._

"_Jasper, your gift, your ability to feel what others are feeling is to be treasured," Maria smiled as she saw her words take effect, "Not only do you experience the rush of hunting and the taste of human flesh, but you get to immerse yourself in their pain, in the very heart and core of their suffering."_

_Jasper tried to shake his head at her words; to deny it. _

_But he knew it was true._

_As Jasper hung his head, Maria leaned closer; whispering in his ear._

"_You'll learn to like it."_

_* * * *_

The scene faded and Jasper, once again faced the horrifying sight before him. Carlisle was saying something about needing to move the body. Edward and Emmett stood solemnly, nodding at his instructions half-heartedly. Sad, solemn glances graced Rosalie and Bella's faces as they tried to gather the young girl together in the most dignified manner possible.

They were shaken, all of them. Appalled at the massacre of one so innocent and young. Devastated at the fact that they were too late to stop them; too late to save her. Their hurt, sorrow, grief, and anger, and frustration were pummeling into Jasper from all sides, pressing into him like an unwanted presence. And he wasn't focused enough to calm everyone else down, to quell all the rising emotions.

He couldn't take it, couldn't stand it any longer. He needed it to _stop_, needed it all to just disappear so he could think…

So he ran.

He wasn't even sure _why_ he was running, but he headed straight into the nearest gathering of braches he could see and didn't look back. He didn't stop either when he heard their voices yelling for him, just wanting to put distance between himself at that girl…that blood.

Edward could have raced after him, if he wanted, but somehow he knew they wouldn't. Not yet. Alice would find him later. She always did. But she also understood that he needed to be alone. Just needed to escape. Get away from those emotions that brought back only the worst memories.

He had enjoyed it. Had gotten small traces of pleasure at the sight and smell of that juicy red liquid, imagining the delicious taste running down his throat. But he also hated it. Hated his delight while she bled out from her small neck. While she choked out her tears and her horrified eyes searched frantically, begging, pleading.

"_You'll learn to like it"_

"_Never"_

Maria was gone. He would tell himself that, over and over, until it burned into his mind. He left that life. He was no longer a part of it.

She was wrong. He was different now. He wasn't malicious or cruel and he was determined to prove that; determined to fight against what Maria had wanted him to become.

But those memories continued to chase him, continued to find him when he least expected it. It didn't matter what Jasper thought, how desperately he tried to forget, somehow he knew that her sickeningly beautiful face, her sinister cold voice, would be with him forever.

And so he ran.

THE END

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